Becoming pregnant with twins is an exciting prospect for many couples. While it is certainly possible to have twins without any fertility treatments, there are a few steps that can be taken to naturally increase the chances of having twins. One important way to increase your chances is to ensure you are getting enough folic acid in your diet. Folic acid is an important nutrient that is needed for a healthy pregnancy, not just for twin pregnancies. It has been proven to reduce the risk of certain birth defects and is especially important for women who are trying to conceive. In this blog post, we will discuss the role of folic acid in helping to get pregnant with twins, how much you should be taking and some natural sources of folic acid.
The Benefits of Folic Acid Twin Pregnancy
The Office on Women’s Health states that Folic Acid is a B vitamin (folate) that is important for women who would like to get pregnant or are currently pregnant. Folic acid intake prevents a miscarriage and it protects the growing baby from birth defects by up to 70%.
These defects typically manifest during the first few weeks of pregnancy, sometimes even before the mother is aware she is pregnant.
In fact, health professionals advise all women to take folic acid even if they are not trying to get pregnant because pregnancies are typically unplanned. Additionally, folic acid and folate assist the body in creating healthy red blood cells. These red blood cells carry oxygen to the body. Anemia is a condition where there are not enough healthy RBC in the body.
Starting folic acid supplements at least two to three months prior to conception and continuing through the 12th week of pregnancy is crucial. This is due to the fact that birth defects typically manifest during the first three to four weeks of pregnancy.
Therefore, it is crucial to consume folate early on while the baby’s brain and spinal cord are still developing.
You can conceive more quickly by taking folic acid two months before you stop using contraception. In addition, a study even showed that women who took folic acid for a year before they got pregnant cut their chances of early delivery by 50% or more
Moving on, when it comes to folic acid supplementation before pregnancy and the possibility of conceiving twins, research was conducted to see if there was a significant connection. The said research showed that out of the 38,151 who were pregnant, 395 gave birth to twins.
According to the stats, twin births made up 0. 78% in the group that was not supplemented, while the chances of twin pregnancies with preconception supplements were 1 52%. This demonstrates that taking folic acid supplements before becoming pregnant led to a very slight increase in the likelihood of having twins.
The B vitamin folic acid, also known as folate, is present in foods like spinach and other leafy greens, beans, and orange juice. Many breakfast cereals, breads, and other grains now contain folic acid, but many women still struggle to consume the recommended daily amount. Thus, prenatal vitamins containing folic acid have been recommended. Since 1998, food fortification has been required in the US.
According to some studies, fortification has caused a rise in the rate of twinning. The largest effect was reported in a Swedish study that reported a 45% increase in multiple gestation if a woman use folic acid before pregnancy However, since 1999, numerous studies have suggested that the increased risk is actually due to the increased use of fertility treatments rather than folic acid use.
Researchers found no evidence that pre-pregnancy folic acid use increased the likelihood of a twin pregnancy in a study of more than 176,000 Norwegian women who gave birth between 1998 and 2001 that will soon be published in the journal Epidemiology.
I have been advising for a while that women who are trying to get pregnant should take 1000 micrograms of folic acid every day to lower the risk of giving birth to a child with birth defects. Neural tube defects are birth conditions that include issues like spina bifida and anencephaly. Recent data indicate that the rate of neural tube defects has significantly decreased since these recommendations went into effect.
The study initially focused on women who took folic acid prior to pregnancy without taking into account how they got pregnant. Compared to women who did not take folate supplements, these women had a 59 percent higher chance of having twins. However, when researchers only looked at women who gave birth naturally, there was no increased risk.
What can we do to increase chances of twins if not carrying twin genes?
Women who don’t fit any of the aforementioned descriptions can still try to conceive twins or triplets by taking some steps.
There has been both confirmed and unconfirmed research on a few unique plants, animal products, and medications that help with twin conception and have led to some successful attempts.
All of the factors listed below may increase your chances of conceiving twins, according to scientific evidence, but this increase is only very slight.
You could follow every instruction we provide and still only have one baby at a time.
Here are a few things that can help women who don’t have any family history conceive twins.
Women who consume more folic acid have a higher chance of becoming pregnant with twins.
Folic acid facilitates ovulation and may lead to the release of multiple eggs.
To prevent neural tube defects in the unborn child, folic acid is typically prescribed to all pregnant women during their first trimester of pregnancy.
Folic acid can be given to pregnant women who want to try for twins in addition to preventing brain and spine deformation in the fetus.
One tablet of folic acid may be taken each day, or as directed by your doctor, in the form of a tablet.
If men take zinc supplements, they may help with twin conception.
Because zinc makes sperm stronger and more mobile, there are more opportunities for multiple sperm to enter multiple eggs.
If tolerated, zinc supplements may be taken, but zinc-rich sources can also be beneficial.
Oysters, crabs, cashews, chickpeas, and green leafy vegetables are some examples of foods high in zinc.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamins, particularly B6 and C, which are effective ovulation stimulants.
By promoting ovulation, eating more sweet potatoes can raise your chance of conceiving twins.
FAQ
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